Post by Karlynne on Jan 25, 2005 13:12:53 GMT -5
This is my attempt at cheering Kandie and anyone that has had to put up with me in a store. This story is based on real life trauma. Karlie
Shopping Spree
Albus Dumbledore grumbled as he followed his wife Minerva into the department store. It was a glorious day in June and he could be enjoying the sunshine by bathing in the lake or taking a stroll around Hogsmeade but no, Minerva had to find shoes for a wedding on Saturday and she needed his opinion in case she couldn’t make up her mind.
He knew if he didn’t come she would return home with several pairs of shoes and he would be forced to watch her try them on dozens of times with dozens of different dresses until she was satisfied she had chosen the best match. No, he had been through that before and he knew from experience that going to the store with her was much quicker. Plus, he wouldn’t have to go with her to return the rejected pairs or pay the huge bill if she didn’t.
Minerva impatiently grabbed his arm and dragged him into the shoe department. He was such a baby about shopping. She needed a simple pair of summer high-heeled sandals to wear with her coral colored dress. A purse to match would be ideal but she could forgo it if one wasn’t found. The purse wasn’t an extreme necessity but the shoes were.
Minerva began roaming the aisles and looking over the shoes on display. They had come to the largest store in all of Britain, as surely they would have the most selections in which to choose.
She pulled a large swatch of fabric from her handbag and began looking for a match. She could always wear white or even cream-colored sandals but wouldn’t it be lovely to find a coral pair? Albus had slumped into a chair and was watching other shoppers walking by him. He had a bored expression on his face and she knew he was going to make things more difficult than necessary. He was such a child sometimes.
“Albus, I won’t need you for at least half an hour. Why don’t you look around?”
“My dear, there isn’t anything I need. My robes for the wedding are pressed and ready to wear and my shoes already shined. If I am here it will expedite matters.” His nose was in the air as he put an injured look on his face.
Just great, she thought. He’s going to choose the first pair I show him. To prove her point she picked up a clunky-heeled shoe and held it up to him. He nodded his head eagerly and she rolled her eyes. The shoes were sky blue with blue and green rhinestones forming a star on top of it.
Albus was disappointed when she placed the shoe back on the rack although he knew she would not choose that particular pair. This was going to take all day.
An hour later Minerva had found several pairs and was debating between two pairs and glancing at a third. She went over to Albus for help.
“Which would look best with my dress, Albus?” She held the first shoe up which was a strappy sandal that she thought emphasized her slender ankles. The second shoe was cream colored and more modest but would show off her toes that she planned to polish with a matching coral shade.
“Which one cost the least? Which is the most comfortable? Remember there will be plenty of dancing.” He glanced at both shoes and randomly chose the second in hopes it would appear he had given it a lot a thought.
Minerva’s ladylike snort of disgust proved him wrong and he grimaced.
“Can’t you just pick one so we may leave? I’m getting hungry.”
“Goodness Albus, you ate before we left, you can’t possibly need the facilities, you’re resting in a chair, and you aren’t tired. I brought you here to help me.” She glared at him but her words had gone in one ear and out the other without pausing in between. Honestly, she had students that paid better attention. Knowing he would begin to sulk in a few minutes since a pout was already beginning to appear she offered a suggestion.
“A few aisles over there are several dozen different pairs of socks. Why don’t you choose a pair to wear to the wedding, something conservative in black?” She couldn’t stop the smile that appeared as his eyes lit up and he immediately sprang to his feet. He was gone without glancing back although he called out a ‘later’ in her general direction.
Shaking her head she went back to trying to decide which pair to choose. The loveliest pair of shoes there compounded her problem. This third pair was several hundred pounds and she could not justify the extravagance but they would look divine with her dress. She found a clerk who brought a pair in her size to her and she tried them on. They were so comfy and yet so elegant. She thanked the clerk and decided to take the expensive pair. She would find Albus and try to explain her choice to him. He would complain about the cost of a pair of shoes she could only wear a few times a year. She would hear the ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’ lecture or the ‘we work very hard for our money so lets not squander it’ sermon. Perhaps if she allowed him to buy one of the more eccentric pairs of socks he preferred he would be in an agreeable mood.
A hubbub of activity several aisles to her left caught her attention and she went over to look. It was centered exactly where she had sent Albus an hour ago. She hoped he hadn’t done anything to cause a problem like he did the first time she brought him shopping. He had charmed several shoes to walk over and parade in front of her to save wear and tear on her feet so she wouldn’t tire. He had placed anti-muggle charms on the aisle they were in but it wore off before the shoes finished and he had to sheepishly explain to the magical law enforcement who had kindly forgiven him and cautioned him to be more careful.
She reached Albus and looked at him in dismay. He was seated in a chair with his shoes and socks off. There were literally dozens of socks around him, each pair different from the rest, and not a black pair in sight.
“Minerva, wonderful news. The vendors who sell their socks to the store are here meeting with the store manager and they’ve brought out all their samples for me.” The grin on his face widened as a gaudy green and orange striped pair was placed before him. He nodded and the sales clerk beamed at him.
Albus looked up at his wife again. “Have you found your shoes?”
“Er…yes. I found one pair that I love but it will cost several hundred pounds.” She looked at little uncertainly at him. They could afford it but she was frugal by nature.
Albus waved his hand carelessly. “I’m glad I decided to come today. Its buy one pair get one free.”
Minerva looked at him warily. “So you are buying a black pair and one of these?” She pointed at the colorful pile before them.
“I thought since it’s a sale I would purchase a bit more,” he mumbled. His eyes began twinkling and he smiled at her. “I’ll spend as much on socks as you spend on your shoes and not a penny more.”
Minerva leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Well Darling, today is your lucky day.”
Shopping Spree
Albus Dumbledore grumbled as he followed his wife Minerva into the department store. It was a glorious day in June and he could be enjoying the sunshine by bathing in the lake or taking a stroll around Hogsmeade but no, Minerva had to find shoes for a wedding on Saturday and she needed his opinion in case she couldn’t make up her mind.
He knew if he didn’t come she would return home with several pairs of shoes and he would be forced to watch her try them on dozens of times with dozens of different dresses until she was satisfied she had chosen the best match. No, he had been through that before and he knew from experience that going to the store with her was much quicker. Plus, he wouldn’t have to go with her to return the rejected pairs or pay the huge bill if she didn’t.
Minerva impatiently grabbed his arm and dragged him into the shoe department. He was such a baby about shopping. She needed a simple pair of summer high-heeled sandals to wear with her coral colored dress. A purse to match would be ideal but she could forgo it if one wasn’t found. The purse wasn’t an extreme necessity but the shoes were.
Minerva began roaming the aisles and looking over the shoes on display. They had come to the largest store in all of Britain, as surely they would have the most selections in which to choose.
She pulled a large swatch of fabric from her handbag and began looking for a match. She could always wear white or even cream-colored sandals but wouldn’t it be lovely to find a coral pair? Albus had slumped into a chair and was watching other shoppers walking by him. He had a bored expression on his face and she knew he was going to make things more difficult than necessary. He was such a child sometimes.
“Albus, I won’t need you for at least half an hour. Why don’t you look around?”
“My dear, there isn’t anything I need. My robes for the wedding are pressed and ready to wear and my shoes already shined. If I am here it will expedite matters.” His nose was in the air as he put an injured look on his face.
Just great, she thought. He’s going to choose the first pair I show him. To prove her point she picked up a clunky-heeled shoe and held it up to him. He nodded his head eagerly and she rolled her eyes. The shoes were sky blue with blue and green rhinestones forming a star on top of it.
Albus was disappointed when she placed the shoe back on the rack although he knew she would not choose that particular pair. This was going to take all day.
An hour later Minerva had found several pairs and was debating between two pairs and glancing at a third. She went over to Albus for help.
“Which would look best with my dress, Albus?” She held the first shoe up which was a strappy sandal that she thought emphasized her slender ankles. The second shoe was cream colored and more modest but would show off her toes that she planned to polish with a matching coral shade.
“Which one cost the least? Which is the most comfortable? Remember there will be plenty of dancing.” He glanced at both shoes and randomly chose the second in hopes it would appear he had given it a lot a thought.
Minerva’s ladylike snort of disgust proved him wrong and he grimaced.
“Can’t you just pick one so we may leave? I’m getting hungry.”
“Goodness Albus, you ate before we left, you can’t possibly need the facilities, you’re resting in a chair, and you aren’t tired. I brought you here to help me.” She glared at him but her words had gone in one ear and out the other without pausing in between. Honestly, she had students that paid better attention. Knowing he would begin to sulk in a few minutes since a pout was already beginning to appear she offered a suggestion.
“A few aisles over there are several dozen different pairs of socks. Why don’t you choose a pair to wear to the wedding, something conservative in black?” She couldn’t stop the smile that appeared as his eyes lit up and he immediately sprang to his feet. He was gone without glancing back although he called out a ‘later’ in her general direction.
Shaking her head she went back to trying to decide which pair to choose. The loveliest pair of shoes there compounded her problem. This third pair was several hundred pounds and she could not justify the extravagance but they would look divine with her dress. She found a clerk who brought a pair in her size to her and she tried them on. They were so comfy and yet so elegant. She thanked the clerk and decided to take the expensive pair. She would find Albus and try to explain her choice to him. He would complain about the cost of a pair of shoes she could only wear a few times a year. She would hear the ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’ lecture or the ‘we work very hard for our money so lets not squander it’ sermon. Perhaps if she allowed him to buy one of the more eccentric pairs of socks he preferred he would be in an agreeable mood.
A hubbub of activity several aisles to her left caught her attention and she went over to look. It was centered exactly where she had sent Albus an hour ago. She hoped he hadn’t done anything to cause a problem like he did the first time she brought him shopping. He had charmed several shoes to walk over and parade in front of her to save wear and tear on her feet so she wouldn’t tire. He had placed anti-muggle charms on the aisle they were in but it wore off before the shoes finished and he had to sheepishly explain to the magical law enforcement who had kindly forgiven him and cautioned him to be more careful.
She reached Albus and looked at him in dismay. He was seated in a chair with his shoes and socks off. There were literally dozens of socks around him, each pair different from the rest, and not a black pair in sight.
“Minerva, wonderful news. The vendors who sell their socks to the store are here meeting with the store manager and they’ve brought out all their samples for me.” The grin on his face widened as a gaudy green and orange striped pair was placed before him. He nodded and the sales clerk beamed at him.
Albus looked up at his wife again. “Have you found your shoes?”
“Er…yes. I found one pair that I love but it will cost several hundred pounds.” She looked at little uncertainly at him. They could afford it but she was frugal by nature.
Albus waved his hand carelessly. “I’m glad I decided to come today. Its buy one pair get one free.”
Minerva looked at him warily. “So you are buying a black pair and one of these?” She pointed at the colorful pile before them.
“I thought since it’s a sale I would purchase a bit more,” he mumbled. His eyes began twinkling and he smiled at her. “I’ll spend as much on socks as you spend on your shoes and not a penny more.”
Minerva leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Well Darling, today is your lucky day.”
Brings back many memories, this one does.
